Northwestern Physics Demos                                 Go back to Electrostatics
  
DCS# 5B10.40NWU# ES-11 Location:   10 B
title: ES Fields
aka: Fuzzy Fur Field Tank

Description:
Fine fibers suspended in a mineral oil respond to the application of an external field by lining up to suggest field lines.
To use, be sure the tank is tilted so the bubbles come to rest in the top resevoir. (Out of sight.)
Agitate the tank just before use to bring the fibers off the bottom.  Different plates can be inserted to give different electrode configurations.
The "Zero-stat" gun is piezo electric and emits one charge on squeezing the trigger, and the opposite when the trigger is released.
Practise with the zero-stat to get the desired effect for each electrode configuration.

Questions:
    Would this work on the moon? (ie. with lower gravity and in a vacuum?)
    Why do the fibers line up in the electric field?
pix of set upprojectionoperationrackview of apparatus